There is rumbling in the European royal family now that Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and shaman Durek Verrett announced their engagement, according to People.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, seemingly have started a trend of finding love beyond the pale. However, in all fairness, other royal members have Black spouses, as previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Verrett describes himself as a “spiritual guide and gifted healer,” based on his website, People reports.
However, the Norwegian media have pegged the Los Angeles spiritualist, who boasts the many celebrities as friends, as a conman. Despite the couple receiving death threats primarily due to their interracial union, Verrett popped the question to Princess Märtha at a horse race estate in San Juan Capistrano, California, according to People.
“I was very nervous because I had a lot of emotions going through me — fears and stress and wanting it to be perfect for my beloved,” Verrett said to People about his courtship with the daughter of Norway’s King Harald V and Queen Sonja. The couple has been dating since 2019.
Verrett says his presence as a Black man and as a soon-to-be member of the Norwegian royal family serves as a reminder that the world should not erase his people.
“[It] will set a precedent for my people that we are not to be forgotten, and we deserve to be acknowledged for the greatness of who we are and where we come from. There’s always been kings and queens in Africa, but unfortunately, they haven’t been recognized in the world in the way that they deserve.”
Märtha — who is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne — has also faced her fair share of criticism from her native country for claiming she is clairvoyant.
She praises her relationship with Verrett for revealing the level of racism experienced by interracial couples.
“To me, it’s eye-opening to get to know Durek and see it first hand and see how it still plays out in society,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot about Black heritage and will continue to learn. I have a patient man who educates me on the issues in Black culture, how it refers to white privilege, and how we as a couple must navigate peoples’ fears and prejudices to demonstrate that love has no boundaries. I’m blessed to be in a relationship that can help me grow and evolve, and it’s humbling to learn the lessons with Durek every day.”
As for their upcoming nuptials, the couple shared, “We have many ideas of what we want, but we want to take our time with this to make it very special for ourselves, our families, and our friends. We don’t have a date in mind at the moment, but we will share it once we have decided.”
